Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 1, 1933. HULL 1,920,508

REFRIGERA'IING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 192B ggj.

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Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Harry B. Hull, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Frigidaire Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a Corporation of Delaware Application February 29,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for and method of harvesting ice from mechanical refrigerators.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved and novel method and means for removing congealed substances from the trays or containers in which they are frozen and to incorporate such means in the structure of the refrigerator itself.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved means of controlling a source of heat adapted for causing removal of the ice from such containers, and which is easily and safely operated.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an arrangement whereby normally the controlled heat source need not be used for removing the congealed material but wherein it may be operated only when extremely rapid removal of the ice from the containers is desired. the normal removal of the ice being effected by relatively prolonged exposure thereof to another source of heat within said cabinet.

With these and further objects in view. the invention contemplates providing means whereby the vessel containing the ice may be disposed in a portion of the cabinet subjected to relatively warm air which will release the ice in due course of time but wherein a controlled source of heat such as an electric heater may be manipulated for a short time if desired to expedite the removal of the ice.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing. wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates, partly in section a mechanical type of refrigerator equipped with the improved ice harvesting arrangement of the invention:

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same in section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the heating circuit used.

. In the operation of mechanical refrigerators in which ice is formed from water or the like placed in suitable containers such as trays. it is customary to harvest the ice by withdrawing the tray from the cabinet and holding the same in an inverted position under a stream of relatively warm tap water and then placing the released ice in the form of cubes 'or the like in suitable storag containers .within the refrigerator for future use. This method of removing the ice is however inconvenient.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an arrangement whereby advantage may be taken of the presence of a relatively warm medium within the cabinet for effecting the nor- 1928. Serial No. 258,004

mal release of ice from the containers and wherein an improved means is provided for hastening the removal of the ice when the same-is desiredfor emergency use before the warm medium has a chance normally to release said ice. This improved arrangement contemplates the use of source of controlled heat such as an electrical heater operated at will by the user and constitutes a novel and improved arrangement of mechanism for effecting the purpose.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the refrigerator in which the arrangement of the invention is embodied comprises a cabinet 10 having heatinsulated walls 11 provided with an exterior metal finish l2 and an interior metal lining l3 and whose interior is divided into a refrigerating compartment 14 and a food storage or cooling compartment 15. Within the refrigerating compartment there is mounted a refrigerating element of any suitable type. that chosen for illustrating the invention comprising an expansion device such as an expansion valve or an evaporator 16 with which is associated in refrigeration producing relation a coil 17 or the like arranged to form a cooling compartment. A casing 18 adapted to enshroud the expansion device 16 and its associated coil 17 forms a container which may be filled with a refrigerating or holdover medium such as brine. The casing is formed to provide a compartment 40 adapted to house a plurality of ice trays 19 which are filled with the liquid to be congealed. A casing 20 is placed around the refrigerating element in spaced relation thereto and this casing is provided with an opening 21 adjacent the top of the refrigerator and another opening 22 at the bottom of the compartment 14. The relatively warm air within the refrigerator. particularly the food compartment 15, ascends within the latter and passes through the opening 21 as indicated by the arrow 23 and being cooled within the refrigerating compartment descends to the lower portion of the food compartment as indicated by arrow 24. A portion of the warm air passes between the top of the refrigerator and the top of the brine tank as indicated by arrow 25 and passes down as indicated by arrows 26 and 27 into the food-storage compartment.

In harvesting the ice in accordance with the arrangement of the present invention. a tray 19 containing ice is inverted and placed in the inverted position on a frame located at the upper portion of the refrigerating compartment and directly in the path of the relatively warm air streaming in as indicated by arrow 25. This frame is composed of bracket members 28 and 29 suitably fastened to the top wall of the refrigerator as by bolts 30.

A recess is provided in the top of the brine tank 18 within which a wire mesh basket 31 may be mounted. Ithe inverted tray is allowed to remain on the bracket exposed to the influence of the relatively warm air coming from the storage compartment and after a certain time the ice is detached from the container and drops into the catching basket 31 from which it may be removed as needed.

In some cases. however, it may not be convenient to wait until the ice has become detached by exposure to the farm air coming from the food compartment and in such a case use may be made of the novel arrangement intended for ellecting a more rapid release thereof. This arrangement ,comprises a heating device whose duration of operation can be readily controlled and which in the embodiment shown in the drawing consists of an electric heater or heating element comprising the bracket members 28 and 29 and a heating coil 32 mounted in any suitable manner as upon an electrically insulated slab 33 in a manner well lmown in the electrical art. This heating element is connected with a source of power through intermediary of a switch 34 which is preferabLv of the spring-pressed type and which is adapted to turn the heater on as long as the switch button 35 is pressed.

By merely pressing the tray against the push button of the switch the heater 32 will be turned on and will continue giving ofi heat as long as the switch is pressed, but upon release of the tray by the user the circuit will be instantly broken and the heating discontinued. The heat given ed by the heating element 32 and exerted against the tray 19 will rapidly release the ice contained in the latter and cause the same to fall into the catching means 31 described above. The heat control circuit is clearly indicated in Fig. 3 where the tray is represented at 19, the heat control means by 35 and the switch contacts by 36 and 37. The heat source is indicated by wires 38 and 39. These are diagrammatically represented as passing through the wall of the cabinet but it is to be understood that they are connected in circuit relation with the heating element in the manner indicated in Fig. 3.

If the controlled heat source is of the electrical type any suitable form of heater element may be used, a resistance heater of the noninductive resistance type being shown by way of illustration at 32. This heater should preferably have no appreciable lag or heat retaining capacity, so that it will emit heat only during the period that the push button is being pressed. It should cool down practically instantly the instant the control circuit is broken so that no heated structure is left in the interior of the refrigerating compartment to cause the refrigerating apparatus to work with a' low emciency.

As above indicated in the operation of the ice harvesting arrangement of the invention, the user places the tray 19 containing congealed material in an inverted position in the frame adjacent the source of controlled heat and if the need for ice is not immediate, the door of the cabinet is closed and the tray is allowed to absorb the heat contained in the relatively warm air circulating from the food storage compartment 15 in accordance with the arrow 25. If the demand for the ice is urgent it is merely necessary for the user to push the tray towards the rear of the cabinet to operate the switch 34 which turns on the controlled heat which in turn exerts its effect upon the tray and causes the ice therein to be released in an extremely short space of time.

It will be appreciated of course that while the form of controlled heater shown by way of illustration is of the electrical radiant exposed coil type devoid of heat capacity. lag, or heat holdover, any form of heater may be used and that, if desired, an enclosed't-ype of heater of the nature of an electric fiat iron or hot plate may equally serve the purpose if suitable proiision is made for insulating the same to prevent the same from exerting its heat upon the interior of the cabinet after it has performed its ice releasing operation.

The recess within the brine tank, 18, is preferably located substantially below the path of the relatively warm air which passes over the inverted ice containing tray so that the released ice contained in the catching means 31 disposed in this recess will not be melted by exposure to such warm air. The bottom and the walls of this recess being formed in the brine tank of the refrigerating element are of course cold enough to preserve the ice.

The wall 41 of this recess preferably slopes slightly and preferably downwardly toward the rear to serve as a draining means for water dripping from the catching means 31. The method herein described of harvesting ice provides a convenient means for insuring a constant supply of ice. Since all of the harvesting operations are carried' out within the cabinet the convenience of the arrangement is apparent in that it is not necessary to carry the tray away from the cabinet, hold it under tap water and pick up the individual pieces of released ice from the sink and return them to the refrigerator in another container.

While the forms of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigerating element adapted to cool said cabinet.

a tray adapted to contain a substance to be con-' gealed by said refrigerating element, a controllable heat, exchange means within said cabinet for heating the congealed substance, means for supporting said tray in heat exchange relation with said first means for releasing the congealed substance and means in heat exchange relation with the refrigerating element for receiving and storing the released substance.

2. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, 8. refrigerating element adapted to cool said cabinet, a tray adapted to contain a substance to be congealed by said refrigerating element, a controllable heat exchange means within said cabinet for heating the congealed substance and means for supporting said tray in inverted position in heat exchange relation with said first means.

3. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigeratirg element for cooling said cabinet, a receptacle adapted to contain a substance to be congealed, means for releasing the congealed substance from said receptacle including a support for the receptacle, said support being disposed in the path of warm air in said cabinet whereby to normally and gradually warm said receptacle. and an electrical heater positioned adjacent said support adapted to be rendered operative to rapidly heat said receptacle to release said substance.

4. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigerating element for cooling said cabinet, 3

receptacle for holding substances to be congealed, means for releasing the congealed substances from said receptacle comprising a plurality of sources of heat, means for exposing said receptacle to said heat, one of said sources being controllable.

5. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet, a refrigerating element adapted to cool said cabinet, a tray supported within the cabinet and adapted to contain a substance to be congealed by the refrigerating element, a controllable lieat exchange means within the cabinet for heating the congealed substance for releasing same from said receptacle, and means within the cabinet and beneath the tray for receiving the substance released from the receptacle.

6. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cabinet, a refrigerating element within said cabinet, a receptacle adapted to contain a congealed substance, supporting means associated with the refrigerating element for holding said receptacle in inverted position in the path of circulating relatively warm air, electrical heating means disposed adjacent said inverted receptacle and means associated with said supporting means for operating said electrical means.

7. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cabinet, a refrigerating elementwithin said cabinet, a receptacle adapted to contain a congealed substance, means associated with the refrigerating element for holding said receptacle in inverted position in the path of circulation of relatively warm air, a controllable sourceof heat disposed adjacent the inverted receptacle, and means for controlling said source.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cabinet, a refrigerating element within said cabinet, a receptacle adapted to contain a congealed substance, means associated with the refrigerating element for holding said receptacle in inverted position in the path of circulating relatively warm air, a controllable source of heat disposed adjacent the inverted receptacle and means actuated by the receptacle for controlling said source.

9. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cabinet, a cooling unit therein, means associated with the cooling unit for holding a receptacle of substance to be frozen, means for holding said receptacle in inverted position, and an electrical heater associated with said second named means-for subjecting said receptacle to heat produced by said heater, whereby the substance in said receptacle will be loosened, and means for receiving the released congealed substance and preserving same in congealed form.

10. In a refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination a cabinet, a cooling unit therein, a receptacle adapted to-contain a substance to be frozen and exposed in freezing relation to a relatively cold portion of said unit, means associated with said unit for holding said tray upon removal from said cold portion, means for releasing the congealed material from said receptacle, said releasing means comprising an electrical heating device disposed in heat transmitting relation to said inverted receptacle and means for receiving the released congealed substance.

11. In a mechanical refrigerator of the household type, the method of harvesting a congealed material within a refrigerator having a cold medium therein comprising placing a receptacle containing the congealed material in an inverted position in a portion of the refrigerator and subjecting said receptacle to the influence of a controlled source of heat whereby the congealed material is caused to be released from said receptacle in a congealed state and then catching said released material and permitting it to remain under the freezing action of the cold medium.

12. In a mechanical refrigerator of the household type, the method of harvesting a frozen material within a refrigerator, comprising placing a receptacle containing the frozen material in inverted position within the refrigerator, exposing said receptacle to the influence of heat produced electrically within a portion of the refrigerator to release the frozen material from the receptacle, catching said released material and permitting it to remain under the freezing action of the freezing portion.

13. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet, means for maintaining the atmosphere within said cabinet in a refrigerated condition, a receptacle in said cabinet for containing a congealed substance, a support for said receptacle, means for releasing substance congealed in said receptacle while the receptacle is under the influence of the atmosphere maintained in said cabinet by said first named means, said last named means including an electric heater and a switch for said heater, said switch being operated by movement of said receptacle upon the support for controlling operation of said heater.

14. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet, means for maintaining the atmosphere within said cabinet in a refrigerated condition, a receptacle in said cabinet for containing a congealed substance, means for releasing substance congealed in said receptacle while the receptacle is under the influence of the atmosphere maintained in said cabinet by said first named means, said last named means including an electric heater and a switch for said heater, said switch being operable by contact with the receptacle.

15. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet, means for maintaining the atmosphere within said cabinet in a refrigerated condition, a receptacle in said cabinet for containing a congealed substance, means for slidably supporting the receptacle within the cabinet, heating means adjacent the supporting means for releasing substance congealed in said receptacle while the receptacle is under the influence of the atmosphere maintained in said cabinet by said first named means, and means for rendering the heating means operative by moving the receptacle rearwardly upon the supporting means.

16. A refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cabinet, a receptacle within said cabinet for containing a congealed substance, means within said cabinet for releasing substance congealed in said receptacle, said means including an electric heater and a switch for said heater, said switch being operable by contact with the receptacle, and means within the cabinet for receiving the substance released from said receptacle and for maintaining the same in a congealed'condition.

- HARRY B. HULL. 

